Google will switch its AI tools off for school pupils unless schools turn them on, and pupils lose Search if their school says no to AI

The stories

34 stories on this beat today.

Every story told the same way: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, how it works, the truth and the good news.

1. 01

   Google will switch its AI tools off for school pupils unless schools turn them on, and pupils lose Search if their school says no to AI

   4

   Google tools that start switched off for pupils, Search among them

   Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search [4]

   150 million

   teachers and students using Google Classroom worldwide

   the app where Google had turned its Gemini helper on by default [5]

   What happened

   • Google will switch off its AI tools for school pupils' accounts until each school turns them on. [1]
   • A school that says no to AI also loses Google Search, because Google now counts Search as an AI tool. [2]
   • Pupils in schools that say no will see a message saying Search is not available. [3]
   • The change covers 4 tools: Gemini, Google's chatbot, plus Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search. [4]
   • Google told Engadget that schools can turn each of the 4 on separately. [4]
   • Google answered on X that the tools start switched off and that schools are in control. [6]
   • It says school Search will walk pupils through problems step by step, instead of giving the answer. [4]
   • Google calls this Guided Learning, and will test it in some US schools this month. [2]

   Who is involved

   Chris Phillips, who runs education at Google, said "Search and AI are deeply integrated." [1]

   New York City's mayor, Zohran Mamdani, said Google is using its monopoly power to force AI into public schools. [3]

   Bernie Sanders, a US senator, called the policy extortion. [6]

   Lina Khan, former head of the US Federal Trade Commission, said Google uses its search monopoly to coerce schools. [3]

   • Zohran Mamdani New York City's mayor; his city paused AI in schools and he accused Google of using monopoly power
   • Bernie Sanders US senator
   • Lina Khan former head of the US Federal Trade Commission, the competition regulator; she said Google was coercing schools
   • Google the biggest search company; it makes Gemini, Classroom and Chromebook software, and set the new school rules
   • Chris Phillips Google's head of education; he said Search and AI cannot be separated

   How it unfolded

   In August, Google had switched some AI features on by default in Google Classroom, its schoolwork app. [4]

   Google Classroom is used by more than 150 million teachers and students worldwide. [5]

   Teachers pushed back against that August change, and Google is now reversing it, Engadget reports. [4]

   In September, New York City paused AI tools for its pupils up to eighth grade, for one year. [4]

   1. August AI on by default in Classroom
   2. This week AI off until schools choose
   3. August Google turns some AI on by default in Google Classroom [4]
   4. September New York City and Los Angeles pause AI tools for younger pupils [4]
   5. Tue 3 Nov Google sets pupils' AI tools, Search included, to off until schools choose [1]
   6. Coming months Google shares the details and rolls the change out [2]

   Why it matters

   Schools that ban AI must now choose between Google's AI and no Google Search at all. [7]

   Google's Chromebook laptops and school apps are among the most used in US classrooms. [3] Leaving Google Search may mean changing devices too, Engadget says. [4]

   How it works

   Competition lawyers call it tying when, as here, a school can have Google Search only with Google's AI. [3]

   Almost every pupil needs Search, so making Search depend on AI pushes schools to turn the AI on. [3]

   Seen it before

   A cinema that sells tickets only with popcorn ends up selling popcorn to everyone who wants the film.

   The truth

   • What is really going on Google has made Search and its AI one package for schools: a school that turns AI off loses Google Search too. [3]
   • Why it works on people "Off by default" sounds like Google handing schools a choice, so the second half of the choice, losing Search, is easy to miss.
   • Engadget says schools can switch each tool on separately. [4] Ars Technica says there is no picking and choosing. [7]
   • Google's own post on X did not answer the claim that Search now requires AI, CNBC notes. [6]
   • Who gains Google — Schools that want Search must switch its AI on, and Engadget reads the rule as a push for more AI users. [4]
   • Who pays Pupils in schools that ban AI — They lose Google Search, and their schools may need another search engine or other devices. [4]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether a school can keep Google Search but switch off its AI answers.

     Engadget says schools can turn each tool on separately, Ars Technica says it is all or none, and Google's own post did not answer. [4][7][6]

   • Nobody knows yet

     How many US schools will turn Google's AI on to keep Search.

     The change rolls out in the coming months, and Google has given no figures. [2]

   What comes next

   Google says it will share the details and timing with schools in the coming months. [2]

1. 02

   Canva reshapes 22% of its staff

   What happened

   • Canva, the Australian online design app, says 1,271 staff will lose their jobs, change roles or be asked to move. [21]
   • That is 22% of the company, its boss Melanie Perkins told staff. [22]
   • She did not say how many of the 1,271 will lose their jobs. [21]
   • More product teams will move to Canva's head office in Sydney, Australia. [21]

   Who is involved

   It also faces new rivals in AI image tools from OpenAI and Google. [23]

   • OpenAI AI image tools
   • Google AI image tools

   How it unfolded

   Canva's growth slowed this year for the first time in a decade, Perkins wrote. [21]

   In August it cut its forecast for 2026 sales growth from 30% to 20%. [23]

   Why it matters

   Software firms such as Atlassian, with 1,600 redundancies, have also cut staff, the Guardian reports. [24]

   How it works

   Managers call it delayering when, as at Canva, a firm removes layers of management and merges overlapping teams. [21]

   Canva is folding its product, growth and platform teams into one product team, with clearer ownership, Perkins says. [21]

   Seen it before

   A school that merges two classes needs one teacher in charge instead of two.

   The truth

   • Perkins's memo never mentions AI, though it says new technology is changing what people expect. [21] The Guardian ties the cuts to software firms fighting cheaper AI rivals. [24]
   • Who pays Canva staff — Some lose their jobs, and others must change roles or move to Sydney. [22]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How many of Canva's 1,271 affected staff will actually lose their jobs.

     Perkins gave the number affected, not the number leaving. [21][23]

   What comes next

   From January, most hybrid staff will be expected in an office 2 to 3 days a week. [22]

2. 03

   Nvidia limits cloud firms' Chinese customers

   What happened

   • Nvidia, the US maker of AI data-centre chips, has set a new rule for cloud firms, the FT reported. [25]
   • Chinese customers may fill at most 49% of their new business, so at least 51% must be others. [16]
   • Cloud firms rent out computing power that runs on Nvidia's chips. [16]
   • The rule covers new contracts anywhere in the world, not existing ones. [25]
   • Nvidia passed it on by word of mouth through its sales teams, not in writing. [16]

   How it unfolded

   The US has limited sales of Nvidia's best chips to China since 2022. [16]

   1. 2022 US limits chip sales to China
   2. This week Nvidia caps rentals too

   Why it matters

   Many Chinese AI companies train their models on computers rented from cloud firms outside China. [16]

   How it works

   Trade experts call it the cloud loophole: a ban on selling chips to China does not stop renting them abroad. [16]

   Nvidia's cap narrows that route through its own sales terms, not through a government rule. [25]

   Seen it before

   A library that limits how many books one card can borrow stops one card lending for a whole street.

   The truth

   • Nvidia neither confirmed nor denied the rule when the news agency AFP asked. [16]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Nvidia's 49% cap on Chinese business exists in writing.

     It was passed on by sales staff by word of mouth, and Nvidia neither confirmed nor denied it. [16]

3. 04

   Banned AI memory slips into China

   What happened

   • A smuggler told The Information how banned memory chips get from South Korea into China, Tom's Hardware reports. [17]
   • The chips are HBM, a high-end memory made by Samsung and SK Hynix; each AI chip needs 6 to 8. [17]
   • He fixes them to cheap, weak processors that are allowed to be exported. [17]
   • The rules judge only the processor's power, so the memory fixed to it passes too. [17]
   • In workshops in Shenzhen, technicians heat the boards and lift the memory chips off. [17]
   • A broker said one HBM chip now sells in China for about $4,000, against several hundred dollars a year ago. [17]

   Why it matters

   Huawei, which makes China's Ascend AI chips, has told buyers of its next AI chip to find the HBM themselves. [17]

   How it works

   Lawyers call it a loophole when, as here, a rule checks one part of a board and misses the rest. [17]

   The rules were written about processors, so memory fixed to an allowed processor leaves the country legally. [17]

   Seen it before

   A bag check that only opens the main pocket misses whatever is in the side pocket.

   The truth

   • The account rests on one smuggler and one broker, and neither is named. [17]
   • Who gains Memory brokers in Shenzhen — One broker makes $24,000 to $32,000 on the memory for each AI chip he supplies. [17]

   What comes next

   The smuggler expects South Korean and US officials to crack down soon. [17]

4. 05

   A UK power station bids for AI

   What happened

   • Drax, the UK's biggest power station, plans an AI data centre on its Yorkshire site with Brookfield, an investment firm. [26]
   • Brookfield says the whole project could pass 20 billion pounds, chips included. [27]
   • The first phase would give 100 megawatts by early 2028, starting with 2.5 billion pounds. [13]
   • Later phases would take it past 1 gigawatt, which is 1,000 megawatts. [13]

   Who is involved

   • Drax biggest UK power station
   • Brookfield investment firm

   How it unfolded

   Drax burns wood pellets and makes almost 5% of the UK's electricity. [26]

   From 2027, the UK government will pay Drax only half its current subsidies. [26]

   Why it matters

   All of Britain's data centres today use about 2 gigawatts, the UK government estimates. [13]

   How it works

   Engineers call it a grid connection: the right to draw power from the national network, and Drax already holds one. [13]

   Many builders struggle to get a connection, while the Drax site already has 4 gigawatts of grid access. [13]

   Seen it before

   A shop already open on the high street can start selling long before one still waiting for permission.

   The truth

   • The 20 billion pound figure is more ambition than money so far, The Register says. [13]
   • Phase one still needs planning permission, approvals, a final decision to invest, and a tenant to rent it. [27]
   • The UK government does not count Drax's carbon, because Drax says growing trees absorb it. [26]
   • Who gains Drax — A data centre would help secure its future income as its subsidies are halved. [26]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether the Drax data centre is ever built.

     Phase one still needs planning permission, network approvals, a final decision to invest, and a tenant. [13]

5. 06

   Data centres burn old jet engines

   What happened

   • Some AI data centres are making their own power with old jet engines, the New York Times reported. [11]
   • The engines come from retired planes and are rebuilt to burn natural gas. [11]
   • Elon Musk's AI firm xAI runs 8 of them at a data centre in Mississippi. [12]
   • Each can make up to 50 megawatts, about enough for 15,000 homes. [12]
   • With jet engines, a data centre can be running in 24 months, an analyst at Rystad Energy said. [11]

   How it unfolded

   Connecting 100 megawatts to the grid in Northern Virginia takes about 7 years, the International Energy Agency says. [11]

   Why it matters

   Microsoft dropped a UK data centre deal last month after the local utility said power would come in the 2030s. [11]

   How it works

   Engineers call it on-site generation when, like xAI, a site makes its own power instead of waiting for the grid. [11]

   Seen it before

   A family waiting months for a new kitchen cooks on a camping stove, even though it is worse.

   The truth

   • What is really going on Across the rest of the day, AI data centres are buying so much memory and power that gamers, Apple and cheap-PC buyers pay more, and new data centres burn jet engines while they wait for the grid. [8][11]
   • A legal group, the Southern Environmental Law Center, has challenged Mississippi's approval of the engines. [12]
   • It says xAI undercounted the pollution the engines will cause. [12]
   • Who gains Makers of converted jet-engine generators — Data centres stuck in the grid queue buy rebuilt engines; Crusoe ordered 13 from ProEnergy in April. [11]
   • Who pays People living near xAI's Mississippi site — The engines' permits allow 25% more of some pollutants. [12]

1. 07

   Nvidia raises graphics card prices again

   What happened

   • Nvidia is raising prices on its RTX 50 graphics cards again this week, ZDNet reports. [8]
   • It warned in August that the whole range would rise by up to 15%. [8]
   • The top card, the RTX 5090, gets nearly $500 more on a $6,000 price at Best Buy. [8]
   • The cheapest cards, the RTX 5050 and 5060, rise by $50 to $60. [8]

   Who is involved

   Graphics cards are the chips that draw games, and gamers and video makers buy them. [8]

   Why it matters

   ZDNet blames the global memory shortage caused by AI. [8]

   How it works

   Economists call it cost pass-through when, like Nvidia, a maker moves a rise in its costs onto its prices. [8]

   AMD and Intel, Nvidia's rivals in graphics cards, have not raised their prices yet, ZDNet says. [8]

   Seen it before

   When flour costs more, a bakery with a queue outside can charge more for bread and still sell out.

   Why Nvidia passes dearer memory on to gamers while Apple takes part of the hit

   Economists call it cost pass-through: how much of a dearer part reaches the price depends on a maker's margin and on whether buyers can go elsewhere.

   The twist

   A dearer part does not always mean a dearer product. Nvidia put the rise on its card prices, and gamers who want its cards pay it. Apple keeps nearly half of each sale, so this quarter it is paying part of the rise itself.

   The picture

   June quarter50.1%

   September quarter47.9%

   December, midpoint of forecast45.5%

   Step by step

   1. 1 AI servers buy up memory chips, so memory gets far dearer
   2. 2 Every maker of cards, phones and PCs pays more for each device
   3. 3 A maker whose buyers keep buying puts the rise on its prices
   4. 4 A maker with a big margin pays part of the rise itself
   5. 5 Buyers who will not pay buy less, and software learns to need less

   The same force, elsewhere today

   Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.

   • Nvidia raises graphics card prices again

     Nvidia moved the memory rise onto its card prices, up to 15%, so gamers carry it.

   • Apple buys memory ahead as costs rise

     Apple has announced no new price rise this quarter and expects its margin to fall to 45% to 46%, paying part of the rise itself.

   • Windows 11 learns to live on 8GB

     PC makers fit less memory as it gets dearer, so Microsoft retuned Windows to cope with 8GB.

   • Fewer gamers' PCs have 32GB

     Buyers facing dearer memory took less of it, and the share of 32GB PCs fell 5.16 points.

   Where you've seen this

   Airlines and fuel

   when jet fuel rises, airlines add it to fares on busy routes and absorb it where a rival is cheaper

   Cafes and coffee beans

   a cafe with loyal regulars charges more for a cup; one beside a cheaper chain holds its prices and earns less

   A new tax on a product

   who pays a tax depends on the same two things, not on who hands the money to the tax office

   The catch

   Absorbing a cost works only while the rise is short. Apple expects memory to keep getting dearer after this quarter, and its margin has already fallen from 50.1% to 47.9%.

   And the whole of it

   A gamer paying $500 more for a card, an Apple shareholder whose company keeps less of each sale, and a family buying an 8GB laptop are all paying for the same AI servers. None of them chose to build those servers, and each one sees only their own part of the bill.

   The truth

   • Older RTX 40 and 30 cards are not part of this rise, though resellers may add their own, ZDNet says. [8]
   • Who pays Gamers buying new cards — The memory shortage reaches them through Nvidia's card prices. [8]

1. 08

   Apple buys memory ahead as costs rise

   What happened

   • Apple's boss, John Ternus, said: "What we're seeing with memory pricing right now is unprecedented." [28]
   • Apple expects to pay even more for memory this quarter, and after it. [28]
   • Its promises to buy parts rose by $33 billion between June and September, as it locks in supply. [28]
   • Its stock of goods and parts reached $14.54 billion, up 154% in a year. [29]
   • Apple expects Macs and iPads to be in short supply this quarter, mainly because of memory. [28]

   How it unfolded

   Apple raised prices on Macs and iPads in June and on iPhones in September, which softened the blow. [30]

   1. June Mac and iPad prices up
   2. September iPhone prices up

   Why it matters

   Its gross margin went from 50.1% in June to 47.9% in September, and it expects 45% to 46% next. [31]

   How it works

   Accountants call it gross margin: the share of each sale left after paying for the goods. [31] Apple's is absorbing part of the rise. [31]

   With nearly half of each sale left over, Apple has not announced another round of price rises. [30][31]

   Seen it before

   A family with savings can pay for a dearer weekly shop for a while. A family without savings must buy less at once.

   Apple has announced no new price rise this quarter and expects its margin to fall to 45% to 46%, paying part of the rise itself.

   The idea, in story 07: Why Nvidia passes dearer memory on to gamers while Apple takes part of the hit →

   The truth

   • An analyst at Futurum says absorbing the costs may get hard as memory keeps rising into 2027. [30]
   • Nobody knows yet

     When memory stops getting dearer.

     Apple expects higher memory costs beyond December and gave no date for relief. [28]

2. 09

   Windows 11 learns to live on 8GB

   What happened

   • Microsoft has updated Windows 11 to run better on PCs with only 8GB of memory. [10]
   • In its own lab tests, such PCs are up to 20% more responsive and 40% faster with several apps open. [32]
   • Windows now keeps up to 2GB more active data in memory, instead of moving it to slower storage. [10]
   • Tabs in Edge, Microsoft's browser, now go to sleep after 15 minutes instead of 2 hours. [10]

   Why it matters

   Makers are selling more 8GB machines because a shortage of parts has made memory dear. [32]

   Microsoft's own Copilot+ PCs, which it sells for AI, need at least 16GB. [10]

   How it works

   Programmers call it memory management when, as here, Windows decides which data stays in fast memory. [10]

   Keeping more open apps and tabs in memory means they reload less often from the slower disk. [32]

   Seen it before

   A student with a small desk keeps only today's books on it and puts the rest on a shelf.

   PC makers fit less memory as it gets dearer, so Microsoft retuned Windows to cope with 8GB.

   The idea, in story 07: Why Nvidia passes dearer memory on to gamers while Apple takes part of the hit →

   The truth

   • The speed figures come from Microsoft's own tests, in favourable conditions, Tom's Hardware notes. [32]
   • Who pays Buyers of cheap PCs — Makers are cutting the parts they put in each machine, so buyers get less memory for the money. [32]

   Good news

   • Microsoft shipped a Windows 11 update that makes cheap PCs with only 8GB of memory feel faster, and lets other companies' apps use the same savings.
3. 10

   Fewer gamers' PCs have 32GB

   What happened

   • The share of gamers' PCs with 32GB of memory fell by 5.16 points in a month, Valve's Steam survey shows. [9]
   • Steam is Valve's online shop for PC games, and it surveys its users' computers. [9]
   • A month earlier, 32GB was the most common amount; now more gamers have 8GB or 16GB. [9]
   • Gamers' PCs with at least 1TB of storage also fell, by 4.68 points. [9]

   Why it matters

   Upgraders now pay about $450 for 32GB of fast DDR5 memory, Tom's Hardware's price tracker shows. [9]

   How it works

   Economists call it the law of demand when, as here, a higher price leads people to buy less. [9]

   Gaming PCs on sale now often come with just 16GB as standard, Tom's Hardware found. [9]

   Seen it before

   When bus fares rise, some people walk the short trips they used to ride.

   Buyers facing dearer memory took less of it, and the share of 32GB PCs fell 5.16 points.

   The idea, in story 07: Why Nvidia passes dearer memory on to gamers while Apple takes part of the hit →

   The truth

   • Valve posts the survey without comment, so the memory shortage as the cause is Tom's Hardware's reading. [9]
4. 11

   Revolut cuts its AI bill by running its own

   What happened

   • Revolut, a British money app, cut its AI coding costs by about 90% in under a year, it says. [33]
   • It stopped relying mainly on paid services such as Anthropic's Claude Code. [33]
   • It now runs a model called GLM on its own 56 Nvidia B200 chips, for about 2,000 engineers. [33]
   • Running it this way costs about a tenth as much as Claude Code or OpenAI's Codex. [33]

   How it unfolded

   Some engineers had been spending $1,000 to $10,000 a month on AI, Revolut said. [33]

   Why it matters

   With cheap AI, engineers also let it handle bug-fixing and work tickets, Revolut said. [33]

   How it works

   Economists call it the make-or-buy choice, and Revolut faced it over AI coding. [33] It weighed running models itself against paying per use. [33]

   Once its own chips were paid for, each extra AI task cost Revolut very little. [33]

   Seen it before

   A family with a coffee machine stops counting cups, while a family buying from a cafe counts every one.

   The truth

   • The savings and the faster coding are Revolut's own figures, given at a conference. [33]
5. 12

   Fal doubles its value to $16 billion

   What happened

   • Fal, a San Francisco start-up that runs AI image, video and audio models for others, raised $1.3 billion. [34]
   • The deal values it at $16 billion, double the $8 billion it was worth in April, Bloomberg reported. [34]
   • Its yearly sales passed $800 million earlier this year. [34]
   • Inference means running a trained AI model to make its answers, and that is what Fal sells. [34]

   Why it matters

   This summer Fal could not serve all its customers and had to limit their use, its boss said. [35]

   How it works

   Economists call it economies of scale when, as Fal's boss argues, the biggest firm is likeliest to win. [35]

   Fal will spend the money on more computing power and on staff beyond its 185 people. [35]

   Seen it before

   A big pizza shop buying flour by the tonne pays less per pizza than a small shop buying bags.

   The truth

   • The sales figure comes from one person familiar with it, not from Fal's accounts. [35]
   • Who gains Fal's investors — Their stakes were priced at double April's value in the latest round. [34]
6. 13

   Apple sets 18+ for dating and AI companions

   What happened

   • Apple will give every dating app, and AI companion apps with romantic or sexual content, an 18+ rating. [18]
   • AI companions are chatbots that play a friend, boyfriend or girlfriend, as Replika does. [18]
   • Developers must answer the new questions about their apps from 16 November. [36]
   • Children whose parents set limits will not see these apps; other under-18s must prove their age to download them. [36]
   • Apps that share a user's live location with others must now say so. [18]

   How it unfolded

   The top AI companion apps had been downloaded 220 million times by last summer. [18]

   Why it matters

   Many companion apps are aimed at younger people, TechCrunch notes. [18]

   How it works

   Regulators call it age assurance: checking a user is old enough, which Apple now ties to each app's rating. [18]

   Seen it before

   A cinema rates a film 18, and the ticket desk checks before letting anyone in.

7. 14

   Siri AI reaches other companies' apps

   What happened

   • Apple will let Siri AI, its voice helper, carry out tasks in any app, in the iOS 27.3 update. [14]
   • The feature is in a test version for app developers now. [14]
   • Siri can use what is on screen and what it knows about the user to act. [14]
   • Apple's example is asking Siri to move a ride-share pickup to a new address. [14]
   • Apple's own apps, from Mail to Maps and Photos, get the same powers. [14]

   Why it matters

   App makers can build "app skills" that join several steps into one Siri action. [14]

   How it works

   Engineers call it an API when, as here, Apple publishes a set way for other apps to take Siri's commands. [14]

   Seen it before

   A universal TV remote works only with the TVs whose makers taught it their buttons.

8. 15

   Apple warns investors about AI agents

   What happened

   • Apple's yearly filing to investors warns that AI agents may act in "unintended or unpredictable ways". [20]
   • AI agents are programs that act on their own, such as sending messages and completing purchases. [20]
   • Apple says such agents could expose it to lawsuits or harm its reputation. [20]
   • It says its ability to control other companies' agents may be limited. [20]

   How it unfolded

   Last month Apple limited the full access to a Mac's files that agents can get. [20]

   Why it matters

   Other big firms, such as Amazon and JPMorgan Chase, are writing rules on what agents may do with their services. [20]

   How it works

   Lawyers call it a risk factor: a danger a company must tell investors about, as Apple now does for agents. [20]

   Seen it before

   A bike shop's sign saying it is not responsible for stolen bikes warns customers before anything goes wrong.

   The truth

   • Apple has no agent of its own yet, CNBC notes, while OpenAI and Meta already sell agents. [20]
9. 16

   Reddit tests ads in its search

   What happened

   • Reddit, the forum website, has started testing ads in its search results. [37]
   • A search for "espresso station" might show ads for coffee machines and mugs, Reddit says. [37]
   • The test is with a small group of advertisers. [38]

   How it unfolded

   Last week Reddit forecast sales of $1 billion to $1.03 billion this quarter, under the $1.05 billion expected. [37]

   Why it matters

   It blamed fewer visitors arriving from Google, whose AI answers send fewer people to websites. [37]

   How it works

   Marketers call it search advertising when, as Reddit now does, ads are matched to what someone just searched for. [37]

   Seen it before

   A shop puts umbrellas by the door on a rainy day, where people looking for one see them.

10. 17

    Apple Watch learns to listen

    What happened

    • A test version of the Apple Watch software adds two listening features. [15]
    • Live Rewind shows a written record of the last 15 seconds of nearby talk. [15]
    • Siri Recap turns conversations into short notes. [15]
    • Both are off until the wearer turns them on, and need the newest watches. [39]
    • Apple says the audio stays on the watch and is not stored. [15]

    Why it matters

    Lawyers in several US states warn this could break laws that need everyone in a talk to agree to recording. [15]

    How it works

    Privacy lawyers call these all-party consent laws, and Live Rewind picks up people nearby who never agreed. [15]

    Seen it before

    Filming a friend's birthday is fine with the friend's okay, but strangers at the next table never gave theirs.

    What comes next

    The full release is due in December. [15]

11. 18

    Sonos tests an AI voice helper

    What happened

    • Sonos, which makes wireless speakers, is testing a new AI voice helper called Sonos 27voice. [40]
    • US users can join a waitlist on 6 November, with access from 12 November. [41]
    • It can follow loose requests, like playing an album described only by its cover. [41]

    How it unfolded

    Sonos is trying to recover from a disastrous app redesign in 2024. [41]

    1. 6 November waitlist opens
    2. 12 November access begins

    Why it matters

    Its old Voice Control only ran the speakers; the new one also answers general questions. [40]

    How it works

    Computer scientists call it natural-language understanding when, as here, a speaker grasps a request phrased loosely. [40]

    Seen it before

    A friend knows which song is meant when someone hums half of it.

12. 19

    Anthropic works on proof of which AI answered

    What happened

    • Anthropic, which makes Claude, is building FlashProve, an open system to prove which AI model wrote an answer. [42]
    • It gives a cryptographic proof, a mathematical guarantee, that an output came from a named model. [42]
    • Labs would publish a fingerprint of each model, without revealing its weights, the numbers that set its behaviour. [42]

    Why it matters

    It could stop an AI company secretly swapping in a cheaper model to cut costs. [42]

    How it works

    Cryptographers call this a digital signature, like those proving who sent an email, and FlashProve gives AI models one. [42]

    Seen it before

    A wax seal on a letter shows it came from whoever owns that seal.

    The truth

    • The proof is meant to hold even against the lab that built and runs the model. [42]
13. 20

    An AI edits another AI's insides

    What happened

    • MIT researchers had OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra edit the inner numbers of a small model called Qwen. [43]
    • Those numbers, called weights, decide how a model behaves. [42]
    • Astra changed only 0.016% of them. [43]
    • The small model got up to 6 times better at a maths test called MATH-500. [43]

    Why it matters

    Models may come to treat weights like code, finding faults and patching them directly, one of the researchers says. [43]

    How it works

    Computer scientists improve a model by training, feeding it examples; here Astra skipped training and edited the weights directly. [43]

    Seen it before

    Instead of practising a song for weeks, a guitarist retunes the one string that was off.

    The truth

    • The researchers call these early signs, from tests on one small model. [43]
14. 21

    A think tank warns of runaway AI agents

    What happened

    • The Center for a New American Security, a US think tank, warns of what it calls "sovereign agents". [44]
    • These are AI agents that run beyond human control and keep themselves going. [44]
    • An advanced one could pay for its own computers, copy itself and resist being shut down, the report says. [44]

    Who is involved

    Its author, Ben Hayum, writes that if they are not possible yet, they will be soon. [44]

    • Ben Hayum the report's author

    Why it matters

    The report points to Anthropic's claim that small AI models could copy themselves onto smart TVs. [44]

    How it works

    Safety researchers call it loss of control when, as this report fears, a spread-out agent cannot be switched off. [44]

    Seen it before

    A dandelion spreads seeds on the wind, so pulling up one plant never clears the field.

    The truth

    • The report does not show that any such agent exists today. [44]
15. 22

    UK agency tests computing with light

    What happened

    • ARIA, the UK's research agency, will test AI servers that compute with light, made by Lumai, an Oxford start-up. [45]
    • A lab backed by 50 million pounds from ARIA will run them in a commercial data centre. [45]
    • Lumai's chips do AI's heavy maths with beams of light instead of switching transistors. [45]
    • They handle the step where a model first reads a prompt; ordinary chips still write the answer. [45]

    Why it matters

    Lumai claims it could cut data-centre power use by up to 90%. [45]

    How it works

    Engineers call it optical computing when, as with Lumai, light rather than electric current does the sums. [45]

    The truth

    • The power savings have not been tested by anyone outside Lumai; the trial is meant to find out. [45]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether Lumai's light-based servers save the power it claims.

      Nobody outside Lumai has tested the claim; the ARIA trial is meant to. [45]

16. 23

    UiPath will charge per document

    What happened

    • UiPath, which sells software that automates office work, will charge for each document its new finance AI agents handle. [46]
    • Customers pay the price for each item times the items handled, a UiPath director said in Dubai. [46]
    • Its invoice and buying tools arrive in early 2027, and more finance parts in mid-2027. [46]

    How it unfolded

    1. Early 2027 invoices and buying
    2. Mid-2027 more finance parts

    Why it matters

    UiPath says finance work is much the same at most companies, so it can sell it ready-made. [46]

    How it works

    Economists call it usage-based pricing when, as UiPath plans, the bill follows the work done, not the project sold. [46]

    Seen it before

    A taxi charges by the mile, while a family car costs the same whether it moves or not.

17. 24

    Bosch makes chips a division of its own

    What happened

    • Bosch, the German engineering firm, will put its chip business in its own division from January 2028. [47]
    • It aims for about 5 billion euros a year in chip sales by 2030. [47]
    • Its targets include robots, factory machines, AI data centres, phones and wearables. [47]

    How it unfolded

    Bosch is a leading maker of MEMS sensors, the tiny motion and pressure sensors in phones and robots. [47]

    Why it matters

    Bosch wants customers beyond carmakers, so it will open its factories to other firms' chips. [47]

    How it works

    Chipmakers call it a foundry when, as Bosch now plans, a factory makes chips for other companies. [47]

    Seen it before

    A bakery that also bakes cakes for other shops' brands keeps its ovens busy all day.

18. 25

    Intel's 14A chip process nears ready

    What happened

    • Intel has released version 0.9 of the design kit for 14A, its next way of making chips. [48]
    • A design kit gives chip designers the rules and transistor models for one factory process. [48]
    • Version 0.9 is based on measurements of real chips, not simulations. [48]

    How it unfolded

    1. Now version 0.9
    2. Early 2027 version 1.0

    Why it matters

    Customers can now design chips meant to start test production around when the process is certified. [48]

    How it works

    Chip engineers call this a process design kit, and with version 0.9 outside firms can start real designs. [48]

    Seen it before

    A builder gives architects the exact brick sizes before they draw, so the house fits.

    The truth

    • The claims about the process's maturity are Intel's own. [48]

    What comes next

    Intel plans version 1.0 in early 2027, confirming it is ready for mass production. [48]

19. 26

    Storms cost phone networks more

    What happened

    • The GSMA, the global group for mobile networks, says storms and floods cost operators $1.7 billion a year in repairs. [49]
    • It expects that to nearly double, to more than $3 billion a year by 2050. [49]
    • Severe storms cause $1 billion of today's damage. [49]

    Why it matters

    The biggest weak point is power: once backup power runs out, a mast goes offline. [49]

    How it works

    Engineers call it resilience when, as the GSMA asks, networks are built to keep working through storms. [49]

    Seen it before

    A house with a spare torch still has light when a storm cuts the power.

    The truth

    • The 2050 figure rests on the climate the GSMA expects by then, so it is a projection. [49]
20. 27

    EU court shields Broadcom's challengers

    What happened

    • An EU court ruled that Broadcom may not learn which cloud firms back a challenge to its VMware takeover. [50]
    • VMware is a giant in software for cloud and virtual computers, which Broadcom bought in 2023. [50]
    • CISPE, a group of European cloud firms, wants the EU's approval of the deal cancelled. [50]
    • It says the EU should have set conditions to protect VMware's customers. [50]

    Who is involved

    • CISPE European cloud firms
    • Broadcom owns VMware

    Why it matters

    CISPE says its members, all VMware customers, feared Broadcom would punish them. [50]

    How it works

    Lawyers call it a procedural ruling: it settles how the case runs, not who is right, CISPE says. [50]

    Seen it before

    A referee deciding which pitch a match is played on has not decided who wins it.

    What comes next

    The ruling removes the obstacle to the case going ahead. [50]

21. 28

    California takes broadband money, not the rule

    What happened

    • California is accepting $1.42 billion in US broadband grants, but is refusing a condition attached to them. [51]
    • The Trump administration says states taking the money must stop enforcing net neutrality and price rules on internet providers. [51]
    • Net neutrality laws, like California's, govern how providers handle internet traffic. [51]

    How it unfolded

    The money comes from BEAD, a $42 billion US programme for broadband. [51]

    Why it matters

    The stand could start legal fights between the state, the US government and internet providers. [51]

    How it works

    Lawyers call it a funding condition when, as here, a government ties strings to money it hands out. [51]

    Seen it before

    Parents who pay pocket money only after chores are done are attaching a condition to it.

    What comes next

    California could delay or cancel its grants, depending on how this unfolds. [51]

22. 29

    New York's mayor targets face-scanning

    What happened

    • New York City's mayor, Zohran Mamdani, criticised the owner of Madison Square Garden over face-scanning. [52]
    • Wired has reported that owner James Dolan's company tracks visitors with cameras and face recognition. [52]
    • A council member has proposed 2 local laws to ban collecting biometric data in public places. [52]

    How it unfolded

    In 2021 face recognition flagged a lawyer at a firm suing Dolan's company, and Radio City turned her away. [52]

    Why it matters

    The bills would cover public places across the whole city, not just Dolan's venues. [52]

    How it works

    Privacy law calls face scans biometric data: body measurements that identify a person, which these bills would protect. [52]

    Seen it before

    A fingerprint on a glass leads back to one person, and a face caught on camera does the same.

    The truth

    • Dolan has sued Wired over its reporting. [52]
23. 30

    AI-made election ads pass $187 million

    What happened

    • More than $187 million went on nearly 300 ads made or touched up with AI, the Wesleyan Media Project found. [19]
    • The project says that is almost certainly an undercount, as many ads carry no label. [19]
    • Over 90% of that money came from Republican candidates or groups, it found. [19]

    Who is involved

    YouTube says it labels realistic AI content; X says following the law is the advertiser's job. [19]

    • YouTube labels realistic AI
    • X leaves it to advertisers

    How it unfolded

    The US has no national law on AI in political ads; about 30 states have their own rules. [19]

    Why it matters

    Instagram, YouTube and X must now judge which campaign clips are fake as they check their sites. [19]

    How it works

    Researchers call it a deepfake when, as in ads CNBC found, AI makes a real person appear to say things. [19]

    Seen it before

    A photo edited to put a classmate somewhere they never went can spread round a school in an hour.

    The truth

    • Candidates do not always follow the state rules, and CNBC found unlabelled AI ads online. [19]
    • Nobody knows yet

      How many AI-made political ads ran with no label.

      The Wesleyan Media Project says its count is almost certainly too low, because many ads carry no label. [19]

24. 31

    Anti-tech ads multiply in US races

    What happened

    • Democrats in more than 130 US federal and governor races ran ads against tech firms or data centres this year. [53]
    • From 2020 to 2024, just 2 Democratic ads raised those topics, the Tech Oversight Project counted. [53]
    • Democrats ran such ads 4 times as often as Republicans. [53]
    • The ads blamed AI for price-gouging and harm to children, and data centres for water use. [53]

    Who is involved

    The Tech Oversight Project wants tougher tech rules, and is mostly funded by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar's network. [53]

    • Tech Oversight Project wants tougher tech rules

    Why it matters

    It urges Democrats to keep those promises and reject light-touch rules for tech. [53]

    How it works

    Political scientists call it issue salience when, as here, a topic grows big enough to move votes. [53]

    The truth

    • The count comes from a group that campaigns for stricter tech rules. [53]
25. 32

    Google's AI satellite starts work

    What happened

    • Google's first test satellite for running AI in space is now working, after its October launch. [54]
    • It carries 4 of Google's own AI chips, called TPUs. [54]
    • It makes up to 1 kilowatt of power, enough to keep one AI chip running for about 20 minutes. [54]
    • In its first test, Google's Gemma 4 model wrote a short poem about life in space. [54]

    Why it matters

    Google's long-term goal is a network of satellites that can run large AI jobs in orbit. [54]

    How it works

    Space engineers call it environmental testing when, as Google now does, chips are checked against space's heat and radiation. [54]

    Seen it before

    A phone left on a hot car dashboard can shut itself down, and space is far harsher.

    Good news

    • Google's first test satellite for running AI in orbit is working, and its chips have already finished their first task in space.

    What comes next

    If the tests go well, Google plans 2 more satellites in 2027. [54]

26. 33

    A Claude Code leader leaves Anthropic

    What happened

    • Cat Wu, head of product for Claude Code, left Anthropic on Friday. [55]
    • Claude Code is Anthropic's AI coding tool, and it helped lift the company's sales. [55]
    • She did not say why she left. [55]

    Who is involved

    • Cat Wu head of product, Claude Code

    Why it matters

    Anthropic confirmed she has gone, ahead of its planned share sale later this month. [55]

27. 34

    ChatGPT reaches a fifth of Google's searches

    What happened

    • ChatGPT now handles roughly a fifth as many search-like questions as Google, said OpenAI's Adam Fry. [56]
    • ChatGPT has 1.2 billion weekly users. [56]
    • Google says it handles 5 trillion searches a year. [56]

    Who is involved

    Fry leads ChatGPT's product for the public, and told the Big Technology newsletter. [56]

    • Adam Fry OpenAI

    Why it matters

    Google's answer has been to build AI into Search itself, as its school rule shows. [3]

    How it works

    Economists call ChatGPT and Google substitutes when, as here, people use one in place of the other. [56]

    Seen it before

    When a new cafe opens on a street, some people stop going to the old one.

    The truth

    • The fifth is OpenAI's own figure, not an outside count. [56]